VANCEBORO – Bridget O'Brien is exploring the opportunity of playing college basketball in the United States.

Austin Mills, a rising senior guard/forward, is visiting the country for the first time. He also has the desire of playing college basketball in America.

Most of the Brisbane Boomerangs have aspirations of playing basketball in the states.

The Boomerangs, a basketball team from Brisbane, Australia, is a squad organized for high school kids to come overseas, tour college campuses and compete against schools in the America.

They arrived to the states Sunday, visited Washington, D.C. before continuing their journey to North Carolina.

“It's really different, just like driving on the other side of the road, the food and the little things,” Mills said. “It is a whole new experience for me. I've never experienced anything like it.”

The Boomerangs played four games at West Craven High Wednesday evening in Vanceboro – JV girls, followed by JV boys, varsity girls and varsity boys.

“We've only been here three days and we've enjoyed it so much,” O'Brien said. “I love North Carolina. It's so beautiful and the houses are so pretty. There is so much more of an opportunity to play basketball over here. The best experience of my life is this trip.”

The players were invited to join the Boomerangs on an individual basis. Wednesday's game was just the second time the players competed together.

The teams were chosen by coaches Amy Cook, who played college ball at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis from 2006-08, and her father Trevor Cook.

“It was based on attitude, potential, future goals, wanting to improve and wanting the experience,” said Amy Cook. “All of that is important, but we are giving them the chance to see what it is like, because, for a lot of them, their goal is to play college basketball.”

While visiting North Carolina, the Boomerangs will tour Duke on Thursday, along with watching UNC's men's basketball team practice. They plan on checking out Wake Forest, and the trip will ultimately end in Los Angeles just after Christmas.

They took in UNC's women's basketball game Wednesday morning.

“Duke is my favorite college, and I really want to go there,” O'Brien said. “It's just so amazing. (University of) North Carolina was amazing and huge. Their facilities are awesome and the courts and the crowds and the cheerleaders, the whole environment is amazing.”

For the Boomerangs, it was a trip of a lifetime. One day, they hope to play at a university in the country.

They played in Raleigh on Tuesday – winning three of the four games. The varsity games against West Craven were not completed by press time.

“I want to play college basketball,” Mills said. “Just to come and see how they do it, and what it's like, and what the players are like is really beneficial to me. It shows me what I need to do and how I stack up to them.”

O'Brien, who traveled to Texas last season, is set on living in America.

“I think it shows us where we want to be in the future,” she said. “When we come over here, we see places where we can go and the opportunities we have. I want to live here and I love the basketball.”

Cook said the style of play is different in Australia – which is more slow-paced and team-oriented.

“Australian hoops can be very robotic and American kids, because they play so much, can be a lot more creative than we can,” she said. “The speed of the game, especially in high school, can be a lot faster over here. “We play a lot more half-court ball, and it's more team-oriented.”